Shutdown: Democrats ramp up pressure on GOP

President Barack Obama speaks about the government shutdown and debt ceiling during a visit to M. Luis Construction, which specializes in asphalt manufacturing, concrete paving, and roadway reconstruction Thursday in Rockville, Md.CHARLES DHARAPAK, AP

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama decided to stay home from economic summits in Asia as Democrats stepped up pressure on congressional Republicans to rein in their Tea Party faction and reopen the government with no strings attached.

The White House called the partial government shutdown that entered its fourth day Friday “completely avoidable” and complained the shutdown was interfering with the president's efforts to promote trade and U.S. influence in emerging world markets.

Democrats pointed to disagreements within the Republican Party, where reluctant congressional leaders were prodded into a showdown over government funding and Obama's health care law by rowdier conservatives, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

To get the government up and running again, “it will take some coming together on the Republican side,” said the House's lead Democrat, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California.

“It's very hard to negotiate with the Republicans when they can't negotiate with themselves,” Pelosi told MSNBC on Friday.

Obama criticized House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, for not bringing up a vote to finance the full reopening of the government without conditions.

“Speaker John Boehner won't even let the bill get a yes-or-no vote, because he doesn't want to anger the extremists in his party. That's all. That's what this whole thing is about,” Obama said Thursday at a campaign-style event at a Rockville, Md., construction company.

REPUBLICANS BLAME OBAMA

Boehner and other Republicans put the blame on Obama. They say he should recognize the flaws of Obamacare and negotiate solutions as part of a deal to end the shutdown that forced the furlough of some 800,000 workers, more than a third of federal civilian employees.

Bohener said Obama was being “irresponsible.”

On Friday, the Republican-led House was keeping up a drive to finance certain agencies and programs on a piecemeal basis — a strategy rejected by Obama and the Democratic-led Senate.

“We are not picking winners and losers,” Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Friday on MSNBC. “I think what we are doing is exercising stewardship over the taxpayers' dollars. … I'm ready to go to work today and get it done.”

The House planned a vote to fund a popular program providing food aid to pregnant women and their children, as well as ongoing disaster relief.

Furloughed federal workers were expected to get some relief with legislation authorizing back pay due for a vote on Friday or Saturday in the House. Some top Democrats have supported that idea alongside Republicans.

Obama had been scheduled to leave Saturday for economic summits next week in Indonesia and Brunei. His decision to cancel those plans underscored how entrenched both sides were in a partisan showdown with no end in sight.

President Barack Obama speaks about the government shutdown and debt ceiling during a visit to M. Luis Construction, which specializes in asphalt manufacturing, concrete paving, and roadway reconstruction Thursday in Rockville, Md. CHARLES DHARAPAK, AP
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday. The government limped into a third day of partial shutdown Thursday with no sign of a way out after a White House conversation between President Barack Obama and top congressional leaders seemed only to harden the stances of Democrats and Republicans. J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, AP
Barbara Samuels, 86, joins dozens others to protest against the government shutdown outside the federal building in Los Angeles on Wednesday. President Barack Obama summoned congressional leaders to the White House on the second day of a partial government shutdown that has furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers and closed military cemeteries as far away as France. JAE C. HONG, AP
Vicki Maturo, of Culver City chants during a protest against the government shutdown outside the federal building in Los Angeles on Wednesday. JAE C. HONG, AP
This Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, photo shows a sign alerting visitor of the closure of Yosemite National Park, Calif. due to the government shutdown. President Barack Obama brought top lawmakers to the White House on Wednesday, Oct. 2, as Republicans rejected Democratic demands to vote on legislation ending a two-day partial government shutdown without changes to the nation's three-year-old health care law. CRAIG KOHLRUSS, AP
In this Sept. 25, 2013, photo, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, emerges from the Senate Chamber after his overnight crusade railing against the nation's new health care law at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013. Republicans insisted they wanted to shut down the nation's 3-year-old health care overhaul, not the government. They got the opposite, and now struggle to convince the public that responsibility for partial closure of the federal establishment lies with the President Barack Obama and the Democrats. J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, AP
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to members of the media after meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. Republicans insisted they wanted to shut down the nation's 3-year-old health care overhaul, not the government. They got the opposite, and now struggle to convince the public that responsibility for partial closure of the federal establishment lies with the President Barack Obama and the Democrats. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS, AP
Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., leads a tour in the Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington,Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013. Congressional staffers and interns usually lead constituent tours, but due to the federal government shutdown members of Congress have begun to lead tour groups from their home states. EVAN VUCCI, AP
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., right, leads a tour group of students from St. Patrick School of White Lake, Mich., in the Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013. Congressional staffers and interns usually lead constituent tours, but due to the federal government shutdown members of Congress have begun to lead tour groups from their home states. EVAN VUCCI, AP
Jenna Manheimer, left, and Dan Puckett, center, both of Dallas, acknowledge honks from passing cars as they stand with approximately 40 others on a sidewalk along the Hwy 75 service road in front of the Social Security Administration building demonstrating in support of the nation's new health care law, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, in Dallas. TONY GUTIERREZ, AP
Susan Cooper, left, of Richardson, Texas, sits along side her husband, Jack, 93, and a Word War II veteran, as they demonstrate with nearly 40 others against the government shutdown, in front of the Social Security Administration building Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, in Dallas. TONY GUTIERREZ, AP
President Barack Obama speaks about the government shutdown during a visit at the M. Luis Construction Company in Rockville, Md., Oct. 3, 2013. Day three of the government shutdown dawned with neither Obama and the Democrats nor the Republicans backing down and with the House sticking to a legislative strategy that has so far been fruitless. STEPHEN CROWLEY, NYT
House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, with Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks to reporters following a meeting with President Barack Obama and the Republican leadership at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. Obama and congressional leaders met at the White House on the second day of a partial government shutdown. MANUEL BALCE CENETA, AP
Joshua Tree National Park, California, U.S. - Park rangers close a road leading to the Joshua Tree National Park due to shutdown of the federal government over a budget impasse. PANORAMIC/ZUMA24.COM
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., waits outside the West Wing of the White House after meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. Obama and congressional leaders met at the White House on the second day of a partial government shutdown. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS, AP

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